Misirlou Guitar Lesson - Dick Dale and The Del-Tones

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In this Misirlou guitar lesson, I will show you to play this Dick Dale classic note-for-note.

We will be using standard tuning.

The most obvious technique used by Dick Dale throughout "Misirlou" is the rapid fire tremolo picking. In order to accomplish this and also make the guitar tone brighter, he chose to pick very close to the bridge.

Picking very close to the bridge makes the string feel tighter, which in turn can make it a bit easier to rapidly pick the string.

You will need a lot of endurance to make it through the entire song. The most important thing to remember is to try and keep your right hand wrist and forearm as relaxed as possible. That is very difficult to do because the picking is almost non-stop. "Misirlou" is a great exercise in staying relaxed during fast picking passages.

There is also a short chord section where the guitar takes a rhythm guitar approach underneath a trumpet solo. I will show you the chords used during this section of the song and it gives a chance for you to relax your picking hand a bit.

So I hope you enjoy learning this surf rock guitar workout!

Carl...

[garyh]

I swear, Carl, no matter what random song pops into my head, you've got a lesson on it, and it's the best lesson on it on Youtube! Thank you so much.

[adityaandley]

if you nail this, many metal songs will look easy to you

[Momohhhhhh]

I think the actual picking isn't just a steady tremolo, but that's definitely a good start and probably all I'm willing to learn as a beginner-intermediate.

[iangrveme]

my mom was a personal friend of dick dale, had to try to figure out a version of this by ear when i was a kid! thanks for a more complete version!!

[paulsun]

Thank you so much, I'm just learning this, a middle aged man who has wanted to play this all his life.

[ChimpFromSpace]

This song is like an exercise. A good one.

[tofusrvng]

its actually harder to strum than learn the fingering pattern lmao

[alex_]

I tried this on acoustic and I almost broke the strings

[TheLadsBandLive]

Dick Dale. What a unique and important contribution to the history or rock guitar. A left handed player that played a right handed guitar completely upside down. Strings included (skinny E on top). Signature style. Instantly recognizable.

[greenandblue]

lol this is crazy! I just heard it in pulp fiction and wanted to learn so i came on youtube and saw that you just posted a lesson for it! XD haha

[bearsrboss]

Ive been requesting this song for a couple days but Sober by Tool is what I would like to see. Want to see if there's any people who agree with me lol

[zr]

I WAITED FOR THIS SINCE I STARTED GUITAR

[peterr.salajka]

Thanks, man! And thanks for showing the end goal at the beginning! I cannot stand guys who lecture and then you don't know fi you even want to watch the video. Yours is great!

[xxpitsanoxx_]

Thank you sir! learned the whole thing in a day

[ShowTheOreo]

It sounds so clean on that high E string

[anthony]

I'm so grateful for you doing these lessons

[MrWii]

There’s actually ANOTHER version from the Greatest Hits 1961-1976 album that you should do. THAT version was later covered for Guitar Hero II.

[funeralservice]

Honestly one of the best guitar tutorials I’ve seen on YouTube. Great job man

[ranabirgahir]

Man You Make Sense /And Easily Tutered 👏👏😻😻THANX CARL, Did Search this tune, Yours WasThe Only EXPLAINED

[daffy]

Best vid I found on how to play this song. Thanks.